Emma Virtually everyone likes potatoes, whether they are mashed, boiled, roasted or baked. What could be more mouthwatering than a freshly baked potato covered in melted butter!
There are a multitude of individual potato growers throughout the country and once you see the roadside signs ‘Potatoes for sale’ you know it is the season to start cooking your favourite potato recipe.
Bags of potatoes have flooded the shelves in food shops. I am fascinated by the enthusiasm that cooks show for the potato season. The most popular named potato appears to be the Jersey Royal, however King Edwards, Pink Fir and Maris Piper are just a few of the many other varieties available.
How do you like to cook your potatoes? Is simplicity the key, such as:
Jersey Royals – Roasted
Steamed small potatoes with your choice of herbs and butter
Sliced and fried in a pan with sea salt and ground black pepper
Oven-baked till crisp
Stovies – cooked with your own recipe
Boiled with grated cheese
Crinkle-cut potato chips
Mashed potato as a pie topping
There are so many options to choose from. For a slightly more involved recipe, try
Potato, Parmesan and Sage bake – a winter veggie warmer
This recipe is a simple and easy way to use potatoes that look impressive and taste delicious, using just three ingredients that ca be included in your weekly shopping list.
As easy-bake dish which is ideal for sharing, accompanied by a robust salad or as side dish to roast meats – lamb, chicken, beef or pork.
The addition of the Parmesan cheese gives the potato bake an Italian-style flavour plus the winter herb sage provides a strong aromatic addition.
Sage is a very undervalued herb, generally considered to be used only in stuffings. Make this herb centre stage – fresh chopped leaves used in sauces, butters or even use as a tea infusion for a relaxing cuppa.
Serves 2-4
6 small/medium sized floury potatoes
6-8 sage leaves
150-200g grated Parmesan cheese
Extra virgin oil
Black pepper
Sea salt
Method
Wash and peel potatoes. Place in warm water for a few minutes then pat dry. Slice into medium-size slices. Places slices on a flat, lined roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil and season with black pepper and sea salt.
Place in the centre of a medium oven and roast for 40-50 minutes until nicely browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
At the same time
Grate your hard block of parmesan cheese. Using
slightly damp hands, form the cheese into small round shapes
(approximately 6-8 rounds). Place rounds on an oiled, lined
baking tray and place in oven for 5 minutes until cheese is melted
into a small biscuit-shape form. Leave to cool.
Time to construct your finished dish. Place baked potato rounds in
a cake baking tin with alternate parmesan rounds (having been
carefully removed from the baked parchment with a palette
knife).
Finally wash the sage leaves and sprinkle them over the potato. Finally place the tin in a moderate oven for several minutes to finish of roasting.
Serve immediately.
Looks impressive and tastes delicious!
